


The Kissing Train

by JaneSkylark



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 08:26:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15837504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneSkylark/pseuds/JaneSkylark
Summary: AOGG: AU It all starts with a train ride home. Anne starts to realize her feelings for Gilbert. One-shot.





	The Kissing Train

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!

“Hurry, Anne!” Gilbert shouted back to her as he ran alongside the train. Despite him carrying his two bags and one of hers he was still able to make a good pace and was several strides ahead of her as they both hurried along to make sure they didn’t miss the last train of the day to Avonlea. The wind bit at her face and the temperature drew colder as the sun was setting to the west of them. She ducked her head down trying to shield her eyes from the gusts of wind. She was impressed by Gilbert’s speed and marveled at it as she took in deep breaths and raced to keep up while adjusting the only bag in her hand.  
  
Anne had ridden the train from Redmond to Avonlea half a dozen times with Gilbert and all of their friends since starting the previous year at Redmond. Sometimes they passed around treats to share, played cards or read stories. Gilbert and Anne often found themselves quizzing the other over one subject or another. Each trying to best the other in between the laughter of their friends. This ride would be different though. Their friends having finished up end of term exams before the holidays the day before had taken the first train out that morning. They would already be home in Avonlea sharing tales of their semester over dinner with their families just as Anne and Gilbert were starting their journey back. They wouldn’t arrive in Avonlea until late that evening. Anne suspected that Gilbert had planned to be on the earlier train as well but had only stayed behind when he realized Anne was taking the later train by herself.  
  
Anne’s Latin and French exams had conflicted with one other and her French professor was willing to let her take the exam that afternoon instead of the day before as the rest of the class had. Gilbert had offered to patiently wait for her to finish so that they could leave directly for the train. Her exam ran long though and that’s how they found themselves now rushing through the station.  
  
“What a relief we made it!” Exclaimed Gilbert as he reached the train handle and pulled himself up. The porter quickly took their bags ahead of Gilbert while he turned around and held his hand out for Anne as she made up the space between them and reached her hand out. He caught her finger tips as she neared and hauled her up on the train.  
  
“Yes! This is the last train of the day, we would have had to wait until tomorrow had we missed it,” responded Anne. Anne walked past the rows of seats towards the back of the train. Many students and passengers had already made their trips home. Even though the train wasn’t completely empty, it was sparser then had it been if they had caught the earlier train. It would be a quiet trip home and Anne was thankful for it. After the stress of the entire semester and then exams she found herself both physically and mentally exhausted. A quiet train ride was would be perfect for her to settle her thoughts after so many late nights studying. With exams behind her she could put everything from that semester away, enjoy the holidays and welcome the new year.  
  
She passed along an older gentleman who was softly snoring with his head propped against the window. He held his cap in his hands that were leathered from sun and time. She turned to look back at Gilbert who was right behind her. “I know how he feels. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed tonight,” Gilbert said as he smiled back at her. He pointed ahead, “I believe there’s an empty compartment. Let’s snatch it.”  
  
“You were so kind to wait. You didn’t need to stay. You would already be at home enjoying a nice fire with your parents instead of this cold train had you gone on ahead with the others,” Anne shivered as she spoke and pulled her coat tighter around herself. She would have been fine had Gilbert left with their friends but she surprisingly found herself glad that he hadn’t. Oh, she would have passed her time reading or imagining different lines of stories and poetry but now with Gilbert here, well it would be nice to have a companion alongside her she thought. As their course loads had increased closer to exams Gilbert found himself visiting Patty’s Place less and less and Anne had found herself often missing their visits, study sessions and Gilbert’s overall cheerfulness. He had a way of lifting her spirits whenever she found the stress of school and the future weighing on herself. She and Gilbert didn’t always agree but he was always one to offer her encouragement when needed.  
  
“It’s a good thing I did! I think you would have missed the train,” he laughed. “Besides exams have been so busy it was nice to have extra time this morning to pack and put my room to sorts before leaving.” Gilbert took off his jacket as he sat in the seat by the window. He pulled the scarf from around his neck, one that he had worn for years. It was a muted blue with gray stripes and the edges were frayed.  
  
“Your parents I’m sure were disappointed,” Anne spoke as the train lurched forward and pulled away from the platform. She quickly took off her jacket and hat laying them on the bench across from them before taking the seat next to Gilbert.  
  
Gilbert chuckled. “They’ll be alright. They’ll have me home for a full month. They’ll be pushing me out the door after a fortnight ready for the house to themselves again I’m sure.”  
  
“Hah!” Anne laughed, “No! I’m sure that they won’t. You’re the prodigal son.” She winked at him.  
  
Gilbert sighed and shook his head. Then moved his hand up to rustle his hair as he blushed. It wasn’t the first time Anne had referred to him as such and wouldn’t be the last either. His parents were very involved in their only son’s life and he couldn’t fault them for it. They often praised and gloated over his accomplishments to others.  
  
Anne had her school bag next to her and had planned on reading or writing but found herself just watching the window beside Gilbert and also glancing his way when he wasn’t looking. He had pulled out a well-read copy of Moby Dick. Anne knew it to be one of his favorites. She had often seen him pull the book out in classes or reading alongside the lake after their classwork was finished. She was fairly sure that he always had it on him. She wondered if he found himself in the pages, perhaps taking parallels to his own life. She wondered what his elusive white whale would be or if he had one at all. He was thumbing through the pages now but didn’t look to be deep into it. He would look up catch her eye, smile and look back down before turning a page.  
  
Anne’s brow furrowed as she came to the realization that Gilbert looked tired. Not just tired from a night of little sleep but a deep tired that settled into a person’s face and spirit over time. It wore heavy on him. Dark circles rimmed beneath his eyes and she was fairly certain he had lost a little weight as well. She hadn’t noticed before and she wasn’t sure how she had missed it.  
  
Gilbert and her didn’t share many classes together anymore but they had Latin together. It bothered her that she had been so preoccupied in her own studies and activities that she missed something that seemed so obvious now. Nothing to be alarmed by and some would consider it natural under stress of his course load but even still…it troubled her. She had often missed his visits to Patty’s Place because of how it affected her emotional state but hadn’t given much thought to Gilbert’s and how he was managing under all of the work and now it seemed that maybe he hadn’t handled it as well as he could have. Perhaps if she had been more astute she could have been making sure he was in better health. She should have visited him where he lived. It didn’t need to always be him coming to her. She should have made more of an effort she now realized.  
He had a slight shadow across his jaw line and Anne’s finger tips tingled with the want to graze across his face. She jolted at the recognition and her face heated. Gilbert looked up from his chapter and smiled at her. “Alright?”  
  
She chuckled back while blushing slightly before speaking, “Yes, just tired I suppose.” Gilbert nodded but gave her a questioning look before he began reading again.  
  
Anne looked to her hands as they wrung her sweater in her lap. She would be lying if she said she never thought of Gilbert like that, like the way he thought about her or the way she thought that he thought about her. It always seemed so preposterous to her before…when she was younger. She couldn’t see Gilbert like that, could she? Gilbert was a chum, her friend for so many years. They had competed ardently against one another and found friendship through teaching but she never imagined herself like that with Gilbert but now she wasn’t as sure as she had been before. Time and experience aged her in a way that she wasn’t prepared for. But looking at him now she saw what so many other girls had seen before her. A fine man, thoughtful and caring in ways not out of a fairy tale but born from real life and real experiences. Perhaps love comes slowly and softly like a cool, fall breeze that chases summer youth away.  
  
It was if there was no time and there was no Anne. She was just a being, held between distant planes. The sun beat on her face while warming her deep in her chest and a soft breeze from the sea tickled her eyelashes. With her eyes closed she felt light fingertips on her face and a palm sweeping her hair back from her cheek. She breathed deeply. A scent enveloped her. It was warm. And it was sun and fall and laughter and family all at once. She opened her eyes but the sun was so bright she couldn’t see anything but she smiled and lifted her own hand reaching out and then a whisper so light she couldn’t tell if it was her voice or another. “Are you ready?”  
  
The train whistle blew and ripped Anne from her dream. She found her head rested on Gilbert’s shoulder. She lifted her eyes and saw him looking down at her. He smiled slightly and he opened his mouth to say something when the strangest emotion overtook Anne. She didn’t want the dream to be over, she wanted to hold on to it so strongly, this intense feeling of safety and finality. She didn’t want him to speak and she couldn’t seem to break her eyes from looking at his lips. Before he could begin, before she could change her mind, before the second whistle blew she lifted her lips to his and kissed him.  
  
It was a slow kiss at first. Shocking both of them but then Anne pushed her lips more intensely against his, craving a reaction. Gilbert’s hand raised to Anne’s cheek and then he gently ran the back of his fingers across it before fisting his hand into her hair. Even though it was their first kiss it didn’t act as such. No, this was a strong kiss, a forceful one now. Full of longing from of each of them for something they didn’t have, holding on to something that Anne didn’t know she missed. She could feel his surprise but before he could break away she lifted herself once more to put pressure on his mouth and her hand slowly touched his face. They continued to kiss one another.  
  
After sometime it was Gilbert who pulled away from Anne. Her face was red and she was sure her eyes were moist as well although she wasn’t sure why. Her hand went to her lips. They were puffy and swollen. She couldn’t meet his gaze at first but when she did she found he wasn’t smiling at her as she had assumed. He seemed to be reading something in her eyes and when she couldn’t take it anymore her eyes broke away from his as she looked back down to her hands. They trembled slightly. He took a piece of her auburn hair and tucked it behind her ear.  
  
Gilbert took Anne’s hand in his own and she looked up at him. He merely said, “we’re almost to Avonlea. My father will be waiting for us.” Anne nodded but didn’t speak.  
\--  
When they arrived at Avonlea John Blythe was waiting for them inside the station. “Well you both made it!” He clapped. He hugged his son and patted him on the back before reaching to greet Anne. “I hope it was a pleasant ride!”  
  
“It was,” responded Gilbert as he bent down to retrieve Anne’s bags and all three of them headed out of the station to the Blythe’s carriage. Gilbert sat in the back of their carriage as Mr. Blythe and Anne rode in the front. Mr. Blythe made it is his mission to catch Anne up on all of the Avonlea news as the horses pulled the carriage along in the cold, dark air. Anne nodded and laughed at all of the tales. When she would turn to look at Gilbert to see his reaction she often found him already staring at her. Eyes dark and mouth in a slight frown. Despite the long ride home she felt like it went fast as Mr. Blythe shared so much news to catch her up. When they finally made it up the long path to Green Gables Marilla was outside waiting for her. Anne thanked Mr. Blythe and Gilbert again before making her way to the porch where her and Marilla waved them on before heading inside.  
  
Anne regaled Marilla with all of her tales from school while she ate soup and bread at the table with Marilla for a late supper. She told her which classes were the hardest and which ones were her best and although she was positive she had failed all of her exams Marilla knew that Anne was exaggerating and she was sure Anne would post high marks in all of them. If forced Anne would relent and say that she probably didn’t fail all of them and had most likely passed all if not marked high as well.  
  
“Please Marilla, you’ve been working all day. Please go up to bed. I’ll manage everything down here,” Anne begged.  
  
It was after some gentle prodding that Marilla finally retired upstairs to her room and left Anne in the kitchen with her thoughts alone. Anne began cleaning up in the kitchen putting away dishes and dampening the fire. She arranged things for breakfast in the morning so that everything was ready. Even though Marilla would have swept the floor earlier in the day in anticipation of Anne’s arrival, Anne did it again. She took the scraps out the back door for the pigs in the morning, she wiped the table and counters and when she finished in the kitchen Anne puttered around her room. She unpacked her bag, rearranging items in her drawers, she put her books and papers on her desk, hung her dresses and skirts in the closet and when everything was tidy and in order she started again. She organized her papers by subject and arranged her books by size. While everything was hung nicely in the closet she went back through and organized items by color and type. She dusted the pictures on the walls even though her rag came back clean each time. She had a loose button on her shirt so she mended it then despite the poor light from the late evening. She kept her hands and mind busy because there was no way she wanted to think…no not even a whisper as there was no way, absolutely no way that she Anne Shirley had kissed Gilbert Blythe. No! She had certainly not kissed him and she had not kissed him multiple times.  
\--  
There were entwined fingers, deep kisses and heavy sighs. She was on the beach again. Sand beneath her back and a body leaning over her. Shading her face but the sun found her hands and warmed them as she massaged a neck and back. She kept grabbing the lips with her own and forcing them on. She didn’t want to lose them, she didn’t want this to end.  
  
Anne woke to a bright day and a bright room. Not the typical sunny brightness but bright from a late snowfall that had come up early in the morning hours and continued to drift down from the sky in slow, fat flakes. Powdered tufts of white delight thought Anne. She stretched out her arms and was puzzled by her mood. She had awoken from a dream but couldn’t quite recall it only that instead of enjoying the light snowfall she wished she was back in her dream, content.  
  
Over the next few days Anne found herself constantly busy. With Marilla’s eyesight worsening it was helpful having Anne home to help with tasks. Her days were filled with laundry, washing floors, sewing and outdoor chores as well. Jerry was recovering from a nasty cold so Anne moved the livestock from in and out of the barns while feeding and watering. The days were long and by the time her head hit her pillow every night she had long, dreamless sleeps. It was on the 4th day home when things were caught up enough that she found time to venture to the woods after lunch.  
  
The woods were a pristine masterpiece she thought as if painted by a true artist who only white and black to work from. The crunch of her feet into the fresh snow the only sound. She walked for a bit before finding a nice log where she brushed the snow off and sat down as she pulled out her journal and pencil. She sketched trees for a bit and then lines for a poem as well. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply the cold air.  
  
She sat there for close to an hour or so when new footsteps broke the silence. She lifted her head to see Gilbert coming towards her. She stood surprised. “Gilbert? Uh Hello,” she stammered. She looked around not meeting his eyes. “uh..how…”  
  
Gilbert interrupted her, “Anne! What are you doing sitting on a cold log out here. You must be freezing,” Gilbert spoke as he assessed her as if to determine if he thought she was dressed warmly enough. She must not have been because he started to take the scarf from around his neck. It had begun snowing again and the temperature had dropped since Anne had first come out. He came closer to her and laid the scarf around her neck, tightening it.  
  
“I'm wearing a scarf.” Dumb she thought and looked down.  
  
“So? This way you'll be warmer. How long have you been out here?”  
  
Anne tightened the scarf around her neck and pulled down her cap. She was wearing her large work coat. “It was warmer earlier,” is all she replied with. Still doing all she could to avoid Gilbert’s gaze. “Were you looking for me?”  
  
Gilbert sensing her discomfort inhaled deeply. “I came by the house with a pie from my mother for you…for you and Marilla. Marilla said I could find you out here. What are you working on?”  
  
“Just some sketches and thoughts.”  
  
Gilbert sat down beside her and reached his hand out. “May I see?” Anne had shown Gilbert many poems and stories over the years especially more recently at Patty’s Place this year but she didn’t want him to see these. Her sketches of long fingers and deep eyes or read her lines of poetry.  
  
“Oh, well nothing worth sharing to be honest.” She chuckled nervously as she snapped the journal shut. “What kind of pie?”  
  
“Apple,” he quickly answered. He looked puzzled for a moment before sighing and looking out into the forest.  
  
“Of course.”  
  
They sat in silence just watching the field in front of them. Sparrows would swoop in looking for seeds in the snow before flying back up to a branch only to repeat it again a few seconds later. Over and over again they did this. Anne didn’t know what to say. She would lift her eyes to Gilbert’s and he would look down at her. He also seemed close to speaking but never began. He seemed nervous at first but soon relaxed back. Putting his arm behind her back and resting his hand on the log. He stretched out his long legs and began to hum an old sea hymn. She found it comforting and sighed happily.  
  
Anne would open her mouth to speak only to shut it again. Maybe it was better to not speak at all. Besides how could she speak when her lips were already busy. As she now found them attached to Gilbert’s lips. She would like to say that it had been Gilbert this time that Gilbert had been overcome by falling snow, the cool breeze that touched their faces…how it was Gilbert that snuggled closely to her side and entwined their gloved fingers, that Gilbert had rested his hand on her cheek and tilted her mouth to his but no it had been all Anne, just like the train ride before.  
  
They remained like that, in almost identical positions to the train, kissing one another. Anne’s hand cupped his check and gave small kisses against his mouth. It was after a bit when Gilbert pulled away and stood. He walked a few feet in front of Anne but kept his back to her, he took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair before putting it back on. He stood that way facing away from her as Anne watched him. She saw his shoulders move up and down deeply as if he was trying to find composure. She wasn’t sure. Anne breathed heavily watching. She thought he seemed tense which was stark contrast to her. She felt alive and light. So light that the breeze could just sweep her up and away into the thick clouds.  
  
Gilbert turned towards her. His eyes held all of the emotion. He struggled to say something and then he furrowed his brow. He looked deeply into her eyes searching. He seemed to give up and sighed. He didn’t say anything only held out his hand to Anne to help her up from the log. She took it, stood and then bent to down to gather her things. Placing them all back into her satchel and hauling it up on her shoulder as she turned back to Gilbert and found his hand stretched out towards her expecting her hand but he looked away from her and back into the forest as before. She took his hand.  
  
Neither of them spoke and they walked briskly back to the house. Gilbert held on to Anne’s hand tightly and she kept dropping her eyes to their gloved fingers. How strange it was to hold Gilbert’s hand like this. She had held his number of times before, he had helped down from carriages and led her through different dances but it had never felt like this. It felt…possessive. She looked back up at him and wondered if he felt the same.  
  
They walked back together and when they reached the gate that separated the pastures Gilbert let go of Anne’s hand. “See you Anne. Please tell Marilla Merry Christmas.” Gilbert was already walking quickly away from her before she could say anything back. She watched him leave as she made her way up to the house. She was all the way to the door when she realized she still had his scarf around her neck.  
\--  
Christmas passed quietly. Anne mostly stayed around Green Gables except for a few visits to Diana. As for her other friends she knew she would see them at Diana and Fred’s party. They were hosting a dinner to celebrate the upcoming year.  
  
Anne chose her green dress for Diana’s party. It was a deep green silk taffeta gown that cut handsomely along her upper chest. The front panel had thick brocade that followed along emerald cotton buttons down the front. It had been years since Anne wore the dress and some (Josie Pye) could argue it was a tad small on her but it was still one of the nicest dresses that she owned and she liked the idea of wearing it. She felt confident in it. The fact that Gilbert had complimented her on it during a previous season had little to do with it she was sure. She pinned her hair up in loose curls atop her head and wrapped her thick wrap around her, along with Gilbert’s scarf that she still had.   
  
She sat in the kitchen with Marilla while she waited for Gilbert. Several of their friends were going to be there and Gilbert had offered to swing by to pick her up and it only made since because he lived so close and he was going to take a sleigh due to the deep snow. Otherwise Anne would have had to hitch up the horses and wagon herself and there really wasn’t any point in trouble so she thought it made the most sense as well. She heard Gilbert and the horses as they began their trek up the lane. She kissed Marilla on the cheek, wished her an early happy new year and went out to meet Gilbert. He was already descending from the sleigh when he saw her.  
  
“Anne,” he remarked. He didn’t continue she noticed. He came around to her side took his hand in hers and helped her into the carriage. They rode along mostly in silence as they went on to Diana’s. She glanced to the side to look at Gilbert. He looked happy she thought and that made her happy.  
  
“What a beautiful evening,” she exclaimed. The moon was out and bright. He cast a beautiful glow across the snow and within the trees. It seemed to light their way along the road until they reached Diana’s.  
  
“Oh Diana! The room is beautiful and the smell. I just want to drink it all in,” exclaimed Anne. Anne couldn’t do the room justice it was lively. There were candles along every stable surface and large red bows along the mantel and the backs of the chairs. In the corner Diana had kept up their Christmas tree that was still fresh with berries and lace snowflakes peppered throughout it. In the corner behind a beautiful piano sat Minnie May playing a beautiful concerto. She wasn’t very mini anymore. She was growing into a fine young lady and even though she was way too young to be thinking about boys, Anne didn’t miss the very quick, looks she cast in Gilbert’s direction or the blushes that followed. Anne frowned.  
  
The evening went on and the group seemed to grow more boisterous after dinner. Boys played cards in the library and girls gossiped in the sitting room.  
  
When it came time to finally leave Anne and Gilbert were the last ones. They said their goodbyes to Diana and Fred left with them to help Gilbert with the horses. Gilbert helped Anne into the sleigh and Fred handed her a warm brick that Gilbert intercepted. He placed his hand on Anne’s knee then lifted the blanket over her legs to set the brick on the floor board. Then he readjusted her skits and the blanket over her lap. It was a familiar and overtly intimate gesture that startled Anne but she didn’t move. She also didn’t miss the surprise on Fred’s face and then the way his brow furrowed questioning the gesture. Then he raised his head to her but she looked way before they made eye contact.  
  
It was unusual for Gilbert to act so forward and she thought she saw a flicker of something on his face when he realized what he had done but it was so quick she wasn’t sure if it was there or if she was only imagining it. Then his hand was gone, he stood and was shaking Fred’s hand thanking him for the lovely evening and promising that he would stop by again before heading back to Redmond. He then rounded the horses back around to the other side of the sleigh before climbing up and urging the horses forward. Anne turned around waving at Fred and also back at the house where she could see Diana’s form in front of the dining room window. She wondered if Diana had seen the gesture but was sure that she was too far away.  
  
The air was cold. She and Gilbert probably should have left earlier in the evening but she had so much wanted to help Diana afterwards since she couldn’t help with the preparation because of chores at home. She also missed Diana tremendously while at school and wanted to spend as much time as she could before returning. Gilbert was quiet with the horses plodding along slowly. The snow wasn’t deep but they still had to move more carefully than typical. Anne shivered.  
  
“Are you too cold?” Gilbert asked.  
  
Anne shook her head but still pulled her shawl tighter around her body. Not to ward off the chill though more as her own nerves were taking over and she wore the shawl as if it were armor protecting her heart.  
  
Gilbert sighed loudly and then pulled the horses to a stop. “Anne,” he started. He seemed to struggle to speak and Anne knew the feeling. She opened her mouth to speak to say that the two previous times shouldn’t have happened and that she was sorry because she didn’t want anything to change but she couldn’t form the words. Was it a mistake? Did she really think their friendship wouldn’t change because of it? She seemed to struggle to know her own heart as much as Gilbert struggled to speak now. He gave up and his shoulders dropped, defeated. He looked so handsome she thought.  
  
Anne lifted her hand and brushed his cheek. It startled him and he turned to look at her quickly and then she cupped her hand around his head and pulled it down towards hers. Their lips were so close. She could feel his warm breath on her face. Could smell the mints he had been eating throughout the evening. Could see the small stubble along his jaw line. Then both of her hands were on his face pulling his lips towards hers. This kiss wasn’t like the first two. It was soft and slow. Their lips worked over one another’s. Anne’s mouth opened slightly and her tongue caressed Gilbert’s lips seeking entrance and then his mouth opened. This was only Anne’s third kiss but she wondered that she must be quite good at it because Gilbert always seemed to sigh and hold her tighter as they kissed. She was surprised at how incredibly soft Gilbert’s lips were. She always imagined lips must feel like fingertips touching but no they were so much better. And so, they kissed on, under the moonlight with the wind sweeping through their hair and their hands brushing across cheeks, down backs and cradling necks. Passionate touches that neither wanted to end.  
\--  
When Anne woke the next morning, she thought for a brief moment maybe she had dreamed it. Surely, she didn’t…but she did! It was still early and she stayed longer in bed then she normally would but it had been a late evening so she allowed it. She could have brushed the kisses aside, the first time it happened she had woken from a strange dream and had been disoriented. She could reason the second time she was cold and had been outside for too long writing up all sorts of romantic notions that even if an old, weary cow had come along she was sure she might have found it to be the most beautiful cow there ever was. Even last night with such fun festivities and celebrating the end of a nice year and the beginning of what would hopefully be an even more fruitful one she could argue that emotions were running high and there had also been a few glasses of currant wine and certainly the romantic moon had not helped. But, if she were honest with herself as she was trying to be now she could come to the understanding that somewhere along the last months her feelings for Gilbert had shifted. What had once been a dear friendship had grown into perhaps even a bosom friendship and if she was being even more honest with herself something that wasn’t a friendship at all because it was something more precious.  
  
Anne couldn’t place the moment in time that her feelings began to shift but only that they had. She always believed that love would come to her on the wings of a sunrise, blaring with the trumpets of swallows but no, for her it came as a whisper. Subtle, on the tip of her tongue, a brush of a hand, slowly, steady…and sure.  
\--  
Trains were funny things. They could take you home, take you to new places or you could stay on a train and arrive back to where you began.  
  
Anne found herself heading back to Redmond in a crowded compartment with all of her friends. She was crushed between Gilbert and Jane. Jane was prattling on about her new clothes she had received from Christmas and how happy she was that she would be able to show them off over the next few weeks back at school. Anne would glance up at Gilbert but he always seemed to be looking somewhere else. Out the window, across the seat at Moody while telling a story or looking down at the book open in his lap.  
  
Anne wanted to speak with him alone badly but it seemed that she wouldn’t get the chance. She should have found the time when they were still home but there always seemed to be something else more pressing to attend to. Farm chores or helping Marilla, visiting Diana but if she was being honest with herself she was too scared to confront Gilbert over these new feelings she had only just realized herself. They felt old not new feeling but she hadn’t recognized them the way she did now. She wasn’t sure what she would even say or how Gilbert would react. It seemed selfish of her to expect his reaction now would the be the same as it would have been two years earlier. She wanted to assume he had waited all of this time but she really didn’t know. As for the kisses surely, all boys like kisses regardless of who is doing the kissing so maybe the fact that he always kissed her back didn’t tell her much at all.  
  
Finally, when she couldn’t take any more of her somber feelings she rose to stretch her legs. The compartment was too stuffy and she was feeling light headed she told her friends as she made her way out of the compartment and away from the group. She walked up and down the train aisle several times before heading to the back of the train where there was a small platform outside and she could breathe in the fresh January air. She took deep breaths and closed her eyes. The train was loud and fast. The air was cold and she shivered.  
  
It was only a few moments before the door opened, she turned as Gilbert made his way on the platform next to her. In the brightness of the day she saw he looked much fitter than when they had first journeyed home together weeks ago. His color was back and his mother had most definitely made sure that she fattened up her sun. He was more rested as well. She smiled to herself and found she was relieved he was heading back to school healthier than when he left it.  
  
It was a tight fit on the platform so he crowded closely to her and rested his hands on the railing in front of them. Both of them didn’t speak and watched the expanse trail behind them as the train raced forward.  
  
“Anne…”  
  
“Gilbert...” they both started and laughed. Anne struggled to find any words as Gilbert did the same and silence blossomed around them. Then Gilbert turned to her and quietly spoke, “It’s different now.”  
  
“What is?”  
  
“Us. It can’t go back as the way it was before. Not now.”  
  
Anne nodded. “I know that,” she replied and then whispered, “Do you want it to?”  
  
“No, I most definitely do not but I’m not sure what you want or if you completely understand my feelings and…and well, that worries me.” He looked down, deep in thought as he revealed what was weighing heavily on him.  
  
“I do understand.”  
  
“Then explain it to me.”  
  
Anne found her courage and then softly she spoke, “I love you. I don’t know when it happened or how it happened only that it came upon me so suddenly, so strongly that I’m overcome by it. I suppose the first moment I realized was the train ride home. How you had waited to accompany me and how happy I was that you had waited. To have you next to me on the seat reading your book just as you had so many times before, so many years ago when we graded our school papers or studied for exams. You have always been here. You’ve always been here waiting for me but it took me so long to get here and oh how I hope that it’s not too late. Oh, how I hope that you’ll look at me and say that you love me too because of course it’s you, Gilbert. Of course, it is. Because you’re my Gilbert just as I’m your Anne and I suspect I always have been even when I didn’t know it.” The words finally out she sniffled and smiled.  
  
No matter what happened now she was happy. Happy that she was finally honest with herself and now with Gilbert as well.  
  
And then Gilbert took Anne’s face in his hands, he thumbed away a tear sliding down her cheek, leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheek. Then slid his nose alongside hers and when their lips were close to touching he kissed her softly.  
  
“Of course, I love you. How could you ever doubt it?” He brushed the back of his hand along her cheek and down her neck, caressing it. Then knelt down until their foreheads were touching. With his mouth brushing against hers he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply before whispering, “Be with me.”  
  
Anne took his other hand in hers. Running her fingers through his and clasping it strongly. She smiled through tears and whispered back, “Yes.”


End file.
